Having a job that requires you to be on your feet all day is stressful, especially on your feet. Various conditions affect your feet, including plantar fasciitis. When you have plantar fasciitis, it's tough to make it through the workday without dealing with excruciating pain.
But there's good news – plenty of ways to cope with plantar fasciitis, even when you're on your feet most of the day. You can successfully deal with plantar fasciitis through various treatments, both at home and with a specialist.
Dr. Marque A. Allen and the Sports Medicine Associates of San Antonio team provide expert tips and tricks that keep your feet pain-free even with a busy job. Dr. Allen is a podiatrist and foot and ankle specialist who offers cutting-edge treatments for conditions like plantar fasciitis.
The plantar fascia is a challenging and fibrous piece of tissue between your heel and the ball of your foot. It makes up the arch of your foot and provides shock absorption and stability to your feet and ankles.
Plantar fasciitis is a prevalent condition that happens when something aggravates the plantar fascia, causing swelling and inflammation in the tissues. Signs and symptoms of plantar fasciitis include:
The symptoms of plantar fasciitis vary, depending on the severity of the condition and what you're doing to stop the pain. In severe cases, the pain is debilitating, causing you to miss valuable days at work.
It can be challenging to deal with plantar fasciitis when you have a job that requires you to be on your feet most of the day. However, it's possible to become symptom-free with a few lifestyle changes and treatments.
Don't stress too much if you're living with plantar fasciitis, even if you're up and about all day at work. There are plenty of strategies that help you cope with the condition, including the following tips:
Excess weight puts strain on the entire body, including your feet. If you're tired of the pain of plantar fasciitis after every day at work, aim to lose a few pounds. Eat a healthy diet and focus on daily physical activity to achieve your goals.
The plantar fascia makes up the arch in your foot, so choose shoes that provide plenty of arch support. Being on your feet all day for work is strenuous, and you want comfortable and very supportive shoes.
Working through plantar fascia pain isn't the best option because it might only worsen. If you're on your feet most of the day, take a few quick breaks where you can prop up your feet and give them a short stretch to promote blood flow to the area.
Pain happens when the plantar fascia is inflamed, which is where ice can help. Apply ice to the bottom of your feet (but not directly on the skin) during your lunch break. The ice works to relieve inflammation and reduce pain.
Orthotics or over-the-counter shoe inserts are a great option if you're always on the go and have plantar fasciitis. Dr. Allen can prescribe you custom orthotics to give you personalized relief, or you can opt for shoe inserts from the store, which still provide some support.
Anti-inflammatory medications are beneficial when you can't get off your feet at work. Talk to Dr. Allen about which anti-inflammatory works best when you have a flare of plantar fasciitis.
Sometimes, you need more than the above tips to help you get through the workday without significant pain. In this case, Dr. Allen offers various treatment options for plantar fasciitis, which include:
Surgery is the last resort for plantar fasciitis, and Dr. Allen only recommends it when conservative measures haven't worked, or you can't perform your job without excruciating pain and disability.
Call Sports Medicine Associates of San Antonio today at one of our conveniently located offices in Texas, or request a consultation with Dr. Allen on our website.
